Tag Archive | "VFD"

Now and again you come across interesting parts on ebay, from friends or just rooting around in second-hand stores. One example of this was a huge Noritake Itron 40 x 2 character vacuum-fluorescent display from 1994 (or earlier) which was passed on from a client. Originally it looked quite complex, however after spending some time the data sheets were found and it was discovered to have a simple serial interface – and with a little work we’ve got it working, so read on if you’re interested in classic VFDs or have a similar unit.

Getting Started

The model number for our display is CU40026SCPB-T20A. Here’s a quick walk-around, the front:

… the back:

… the interfaces:

… and configuration jumpers:

The serial interface baud rate is determined by the jumpers (above), for example:

So comparing the table above against the jumpers on our module gives us a data speed of 19200 bps with no parity. Great – we can easily create such a connection with a microcontroller with a serial output and 5V logic levels; for our examples we’ll use an Arduino-compatible board.

Wiring up the VFD is simple – see the white jumpers labelled CN2 as shown previously. Pin 1 is 5V (you need an external supply that can offer up to 700 mA), pin 2 to Arduino digital pin 7, and pin 3 to Arduino and power supply GND. We use Arduino D7 with software serial instead of TX so that the display doesn’t display garbage when a sketch is being uploaded. Then it’s a matter of simply sending text to the display, for example here’s a quick demonstration sketch:

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// Working with Noritake Itron VFD modules - model CU40026SCPB-T20A

// John Boxall 2013

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerialVFD(6,7);// RX, TX

voidsetup()

{

VFD.begin(19200);

}

voidloop()

{

VFD.print("Hello, world. This is a Noritake VFD ");// You can blast out text

do{}while(1);

}

… and the results:

If you’re not keen on the colour or intensity of the display, try some Perspex over the top – for example:

Controlling the display

At this point you’ll need the data sheet, there’s a couple you can download: data sheet one, data sheet two. As you saw previously, writing text is very simple – just use .print functions. However you may want to send individual characters, as well as special commands to control aspects of the display. These are outlined in the data sheet – see the “Software Commands” and “Character Fonts” tables.

If you need to send single commands – for example “clear display” which is 0x0E, use a .write command, such as:

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VFD.write(0x0E);// clear display

Some commands are in the format of escape codes (remember those?) so you need to send ESC then the following byte, for example to change the brightness to 50%:

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VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x4C);// brightness

VFD.write(0x40);// 50% brightness

Armed with that knowledge and the data sheets you can now execute all the commands. According to the data sheet it is possible to change fonts however no matter what the hardware jumper or command we tried it wouldn’t budge from the Japanese katakana font. Your screen may vary. If you use the “screen priority write” function heed the data sheet with respect to the extended “busy” time by delaying subsequent writes to the display by a millisecond.

Putting it all together

Instead of explaining each and every possible command, I’ve put the common ones inside documented functions in the demonstration sketch below, which is followed by a quick video of the sketch in operation.

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// Working with Noritake Itron VFD modules - model CU40026SCPB-T20A

// John Boxall 2013

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerialVFD(6,7);// rx, tx

voidsetup()

{

VFD.begin(19200);// set speed for software serial port

resetVFD();

VFDclearsceen();

// VFD.write(0x12); // vertical scroll mode (on)

}

voidresetVFD()

// performs a software reset on the VFD controller

{

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x49);// software reset

}

voidVFDnewline()

// moves cursor to start of next line

{

VFD.write(0x0D);// carriage return

VFD.write(0x0A);// line feed

}

voidVFDclearsceen()

// moves cursor to top-left and clears display

{

VFD.write(0x0E);// clear display

VFD.write(0x0C);// form feed - cursor to top-left

}

voidVFDbrightness(intamount)

// sets VFD brightness - 25/50/75/100%

// uses ESC sequences

{

switch(amount)

{

case25:

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x4C);// brightness

VFD.print(0);// 25% brightness

break;

case50:

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x4C);// brightness

VFD.write(0x40);// 50% brightness

break;

case75:

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x4C);// brightness

VFD.write(0x80);// 75% brightness

break;

case100:

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x4C);// brightness

VFD.write(0xC0);// 100% brightness

}

}

voidVFDchars()

// run through characters for selected font

{

for(inti=21;i<256;i++)

{

VFD.write(0x16);// underline cursor off

VFD.write(i);

delay(100);

}

}

voidmoveCursor(byteposition)

// moves the cursor - top row is 0~39, bottom row is 40~79

// vertical scroll mode must be turned off if used

{

VFD.write(0x1B);// ESC

VFD.write(0x48);// move cursor

VFD.write(position);// location

}

voidloop()

{

VFD.write(0x16);// underline cursor off

VFD.print("Hello, world - line one.");// You can blast out text

delay(1000);

VFDnewline();

VFD.print("Hello, world - line two.");

delay(1000);

VFDclearsceen();

VFDbrightness(25);

VFD.print("*** 25% brightness ***");

delay(1000);

VFDclearsceen();

VFDbrightness(50);

VFD.print("*** 50% brightness ***");

delay(1000);

VFDclearsceen();

VFDbrightness(75);

VFD.print("*** 75% brightness ***");

delay(1000);

VFDclearsceen();

VFDbrightness(100);

VFD.print("*** 100% brightness ***");

delay(1000);

VFDclearsceen();

VFDchars();

VFDclearsceen();

for(inti=0;i<80;i++)

{

VFD.write(0x16);// underline cursor off

moveCursor(i);

VFD.print("X");

delay(100);

moveCursor(i);

VFD.print(" ");

}

VFDclearsceen();

}

Conclusion

We hope you found this interesting and helpful. And if you have an inexpensive source for these old displays, let us know in the comments. Full-sized images are on flickr. And if you made it this far – check out my new book “Arduino Workshop” from No Starch Press.

In the meanwhile have fun and keep checking into tronixstuff.com. Why not follow things on twitter, Google+, subscribe for email updates or RSS using the links on the right-hand column? And join our friendly Google Group – dedicated to the projects and related items on this website. Sign up – it’s free, helpful to each other – and we can all learn something.

If there’s one thing that I really like it’s a good clock kit. Once constructed, they can be many things, including:

a point of differentiation from other items in the room;

a reminder of the past (nixie tubes!) or possible visions of the future;

the base of something to really annoy other people;

a constant reminder to get back to work;

a source of satisfaction from having made something yourself!

So just for fun I have attempted to find and list as many interesting and ‘out of the ordinary’ kits as possible, and ignored the simple or relatively mundane kits out there. If you are in the clock kit business and want a mention, let me know. So in no particular order, we have:

Based around a vintage Soviet-era vacuum IV-18 type fluorescent display, the ice tube clock is a rare kit that includes a nice enclosure which keeps you safe from the high voltages as well as allowing the curious to observe your soldering skills. I reviewed this kit almost a year ago and the clock is still working perfectly. Here is a video of the ice tube clock in action:

After some travelling meeting various people it seems that quite a few of us have an ice tube clock. There is something quite mesmerising about the display, perhaps helping to recall memories of our youth in the 1970s and 80s.

The certainly not evil people have two clock kits, the first being the Bulbdial Clock Kit:

This uses a unique ring of LEDs around the circumference of the clock face to create shadows to mark the time. It is also available in a range of housing and face styles. Their other kit of interest is the Alpha Clock Five:

The photo of this clock doesn’t do it justice – the alphanumeric displays are 2.3″ tall, making this one huge clock. It also makes use of a Chronodot real-time clock board, which contains a temperature-controlled oscillator which helps give it an accuracy of +-/ 2 minutes per year. Furthermore you can modify this easily using an FTDI cable and the Arduino IDE with some extra software. Would be great for model railways (or even a real railway station) or those insanely conscious about the time.

This organisation has several clock kits which span a range of technology from the later part of the twentieth century. These guys can only be true clock enthusiasts! Starting with the 1950s, they have their Nixie-Transistor Clock:

Look – no integrated circuits, leaving the kit true to the era. If you need to hide from someone for a weekend, building this would be a good start. Next we move onto the 1960s and the Transistor Clock:

The 1960s brought with it LEDs so they are now used in this kit, however the logic is still all analogue electronics. However next we can move to the 1970s, and finally save some board space with the TTL Clock:

This would still be fun to assemble but somewhat less punishing for those who don’t enjoy solder fumes that much. However you still have a nice kit and something to be proud of. Finally, the last in the line is the 1980s-themed Surface-Mount Technology Clock:

So here we have a microcontroller, SMT components, and a typical reduction in board size. Their range is an excellent way of demonstrating the advances in technology over the years.

Wow – this clock makes use of huge Burroughs B7971 15-segment nixie tube displays and a GPS receiver to make a huge, old-style/new-tech clock. Check out the demonstration video:

This thing is amazing. And it is actually cheaper to buy a fully-assembled version (huh). The same organisation also offers another GPS-controlled clock using IN-18 nixie tubes:

Again, it isn’t inexpensive – however the true nixie tube enthusiasts will love it. This clock would look great next to a post-modern vintage hifi tube amplifier. Moving forward to something completely different now, we have the:

Almost the polar opposite of the nixie-tube clocks, the monochron uses an ATmega328 microcontroller and a 128 x 64 LCD module to create some interesting clock effects. For example:

Many people have created a variety of displays, including space invaders and the pong game simulation. The clock also includes the laser-cut acrylic housing which provides a useful and solid base for the clock.

Technically this is a watch kit, however I don’t think that many people would want to walk around wearing one – but it could be used in more permanent or fixed locations. Correct me if I’m wrong people. However in its defence it is a very well designed kit that is easy to solder and produces a nice clock:

It uses a separate real-time controller IC to stay accurate, and the design However this would be a great suggestion as a gift for a younger person to help them become interesting in electronics and other related topics. The asm firmware is also available for you to modify using Microchip MPLAB software if that takes your fancy.

This clock includes the housing and also accepts an optional temperature sensor, and therefore can display this as well. There is also the aptly-named – Digital LED Clock:

It tells the time and would be useful in a 1980s-era idea of the future movie set. The final velleman clock kit is the Jumbo Single-Digit Clock:

In all fairness this one looks quite interesting – the LED display is 57mm tall and the time is display one digit at a time. It is powered by a PIC16F630 however the firmware is proprietary to velleman.

Nocrotec Nixie Clocks

This company has a range of kits using nixie tubes and numitrons (low voltage incadescent displays in tubes). One particularly lovely kit is their IN-8 Blue Dreamkit:

The blue glow at the base of the nixie tubes is due to an LED mounted at the bottom of the tube. Another aesthetically-pleasing kit is their Little Blue Somethingnixie clock. Check out their demonstration video:

Here we find a unique design that uses analogue panel meters in a similar method to the multimeter clock detailed previously. Here is an example of the completed kit:

The kit contains the electronics and meters (or you can delete the meters for a discount if you already have some) however the housing is up to you. Furthermore, this kit has some of the best instructions (.pdf) I have ever seen. They are a credit to the organisation. Our final clock kit is the …

This is another clock kit in the style of ‘suspicious bomb timer’-looking – and it pulls this off quite well. Consider the following video demonstration:

As well as a normal clock it can function as an alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer and lap counter. The instructions (.pdf) are well written and easy to follow. Furthermore the Denkimono is also well priced for the kit and delivery.

Hopefully this catalogue of clock kits was of interest to you. If you have found some other kits to add to the list, or wish to disagree or generally comment about this article please do so via the comment section below. This article was not sponsored in any way.

Have fun and keep checking into tronixstuff.com. Why not follow things on twitter, Google+, subscribe for email updates or RSS using the links on the right-hand column, or join our Google Group – dedicated to the projects and related items on this website. Sign up – it’s free, helpful to each other – and we can all learn something.

Today we examine a kit that perhaps transcends from general electronic fun and games into the world of modern art – the adafruit “Ice Tube” clock.

What is an Ice Tube clock? Before LCDs (liquid-crystal displays) were prevalent another form of display technology was popular – the vacuum-fluorescent display (or VFD). This clock uses a VFD originally manufactured in the former Soviet Union (link for the kids) or Russia (I think mine is date-stamped January 1993). This particular VFD contains a series of seven-segment digits and a dot, which allow the display of time in a bright and retro fashion.

Since this kit was released I had always desired one, however my general parsimonious traits and the wavering exchange rate against the US dollar kept my spending in check. But lately my wallet was hit by a perfect storm: the Australian dollar hit parity with the greenback, adafruit had a discount code and I felt like spending some money – so before the strange feelings passed I ordered a kit post-haste.

Sixteen slow, hot days later the box arrived. I must admit to enjoying a good parcel-opening:

As always, the packaging was excellent and everything arrived as it should have. But what was everything?

Included is the anti-static bag containing the PCB and general components, a bag with the laser-cut acrylic pieces to assemble the housing, another bag with the housing fasteners and the back-up coin cell for the clock, a mains adaptor, and finally another solid cardboard box containing the classic display unit – albeit with the following sensible warning:

And finally the Russian IV-18 display tube:

The tube is a fascinating piece of work, certainly a piece of perfect retro-technology and a welcome addition to my household. Assembling the clock will not be a fast process, and in doing so I recommend reviewing the detailed instructions several times over at the adafruit website. Furthermore, it is a good idea to identify, measure and line up the components ready for use, to save time and confusion along the way. Your experience may vary, however this kit took around three hours for me to construct.

Normally with most kits you can just solder the components in any order, however it is recommended you follow the instructions, as they are well written and allow for testing along the way. For example, after installing the power regulator, you can check the output:

At this stage, you can test your progress with the piezo beeping at power-on:

These mid-construction tests are a good idea as you can hopefully locate any problems before things get out of hand. Another item to be careful with is the PLCC socket for the Maxim MAX6921 VFD driver IC (second from the left):

However with time and patience there is no reason why you would have any problems. Once the main PCB is completed, the next item is the end PCB which connects to the VFD:

At this point it is a good time to have a break and a bit of a stretch, as you need all your patience for soldering in the VFD. Before attempting to do so, try and carefully straighten all the wires from the VFD so they are parallel with each other. Then using the adafruit instructions, make sure you have the tube wires lined up with the correct hole on the PCB:

After I had the leads through the correct holes on the PCB, trimming the leads made things easier:

It is also a good idea to check the gap between the VFD and the PCB is correct, by checking the fit within the housing:

And after much patience, wire pulling with pliers, and light soldering – the VFD was married to the PCB:

So now the difficult soldering work has been completed and now it was time for another test – the big one… does it all work?

Yes, yes it does. *phew* The low brightness is normal, as that is the default level set by the software. Please note: if you run your VFD without an enclosure that you must be careful of the high voltages on the right-hand side of the PCB and also the VFD PCB. If you test your VFD in this manner, don’t forget to allow ten minutes for the voltage to return to a safe level after removing the power supply. If you have been following the instructions (I hope so!) there is some more soldering to do, after which you can put away your soldering iron.

Now to remove the liner from the acrylic housing pieces and put it all together. Be very careful not to over-tighten the bolts otherwise you will shatter the housing pieces and be cranky. If all is well, you’re finished clock will appear as such:

The clock in use:

And finally, our ubiquitous video demonstration:

VFDs can lose their brightness over the years, and can be difficult to replace – so if you want many, many years of retro-time it would be smart to buy an extra tube from adafruit with your kit, or a modified DeLorean.

Overall, this was an interesting and satisfying kit to assemble. Not for the beginner, but if you have built a few easier kits such as the “TV-B-Gone” with success, the Ice Tube clock will be within your reach. Furthermore, due to the clear housing, this kit is a good demonstration of your soldering and assembly skills. High resolution images are available on flickr.

You can purchase the kit directly from adafruit industries. As always, thank you for reading and I look forward to your comments and so on. Furthermore, don’t be shy in pointing out errors or places that could use improvement. Please subscribe using one of the methods at the top-right of this web page to receive updates on new posts. Or join our Google Group.

[Note – The kit was purchased by myself personally and reviewed without notifying the manufacturer or retailer]